Philharmonic Society of New York Concert: 4th

“The Academy of Music was thronged last night on the occasion of the fourth concert for this season of the Philharmonic Society, and if the programme failed to surpass its predecessors in point of novelty and attractiveness it was at least not inferior in regard to the merit of the performance. Though faultlessly rendered the music was by no means as acceptable as it might have been had the taste of the sterling patrons of the society been taken into account. Classical music in its most rigid form may, doubtless, be interesting to weird instrumentalists, but it requires a little judicious discrimination to select such works as will awaken general interest. Drowsiness is not a difficult matter to accomplish even at the Academy. The musical bill of fare last night was as follows [see above].

After Gade’s well-known symphony had been disposed of, Herr Speigler sang an aria from ‘The Creation,’ which, though monotonous and very dull, considering that the audience had been entertained at length in a somewhat similar strain before, was interpreted with remarkable correctness and skill. Herr Speigler’s fine basso voice had at times a fair opportunity for the display of some of its best qualities, but his success would have been emphatic had his share in the performance been more appropriate. It is to be regretted, moreover, that Mr. Bergner’s exquisite performance was confined to Bargiel’s somber composition. In the hands of many distinguished artists it would have fallen flat on the audience, but Bergner was equal to the occasion and well won the applause that rewarded his masterly effort. Matzka’s overture, ‘Galilei,’ was listened to with some curiosity and created an agreeable surprise. It was marked by no little originality, the subject being admirably wrought out, and the instrumentation in some parts worthy of high commendation. The sharp and joyful clang of the cymbals, however, was out of place in such a serious subject, and the substitution of the gong might perhaps tend to improve the effect. The composition showed evidence of study and well conceived ideas harmoniously developed and was well received. Mr. Carl Bergmann swayed his baton in his usual masterly style, and to his carefulness and precision may be attributed a large part of the success which in a general way marked the concert. Beethoven’s grand symphony, No. 5, in C minor, which was rendered with faultless accuracy in every movement, brought the performance to a close.”

“The Fourth Concert of the season given by the Philharmonic Society on Saturday was one strictly within the best [illegible] of the Association. There were no so-called popular features in it, no attempt to [illegible] the [greatest?] applause by any deviation from the straight classical path. The programme consisted of [see above].

The work of Gade elicited the usual conventional approval, and the grand aria from the ‘Creation’ was given by Mr. Speigler with [admirable?] feeling and judgment. The overture ‘Galilei’ of Matzka is a [spirited?] [illegible], full of animation and movement and was excellently rendered and received. The great attraction of the evening, however, was the always fresh and glorious Symphony of Beethoven, which was performed, if possible, with more than the [three illegible words] and force.”

“The fourth Philharmonic concert of the present season was given at the Academy of Music, on Saturday evening. It was not so largely attended as were some of its predecessors, and there was, in our judgment, cause for the reduced numbers of the audience. The entertainment was the dullest offered since the inception of the year’s series. Gade’s eighth symphony, the first piece on the bill, is poor in ideas, and relatively poor in instrumentation; and the other important element of the performance, Beethoven’s magnificent fifth symphony, was not interpreted with the perfection to justify its repetition, for the fiftieth time at least, by the society. The solos were contributed respectively by Herr Carl Speigler, whose powerful voice was listened to in ‘Straight Opens her Fertile Womb,’ or rather in a German version of that air, from Haydn’s ‘Creation,’ and by Mr. Frederick Bergner, who played with expression and taste a tender adagio for violoncello, by Bargiel. The most interesting feature of the concert was the exposition, then first made, of a new overture, called ‘Galilei,’ and written by Mr. Matzka. Mr. Matzka, who is first violin of the orchestra of the Philharmonic, is one of the most thorough of resident musicians. We wish he had allowed his latest composition to tell its own story, instead of burdening it with Otto Koerting’s verses on the astronomer’s defiant assertion, ‘Eppur si muove,’ but the example of Wagner and Liszt seems to have been too powerful to resist. Viewed without heed of the epigraph, Mr. Matzka’s work is highly creditable in point of form and development, and the instrumentation, though not equally substantial throughout, is generally full and rich. The effect of the overture would be much enhanced by a more liberal allowance of strings; its delivery, however, on the occasion we write of, was decidedly impressive, and the composer, who had remained a demure executant of his own production, was constrained to bow an acknowledgment of the applause bestowed, and to offer a second recognition thereof before the footlights.”

“On Saturday evening, Feb. 15, at the fourth concert of the N. Y. Philharmonic Society, the programme opened with a Symphony in B minor, by Gade, a work which made a very favorable impression. It is divided as follows [list of the four movements].

This was followed by an Aria from ‘The Creation,’ rather poorly sung by Herr Carl Spengler [sic]. An Adagio for the Violoncello by Bargiel came next, and this was exquisitely rendered by Mr. F. Bergner, who is one of the best violoncellists I have ever heard. Then came Mr. Matzka’s Overture ’Galileo,’ a new work meriting an extended notice which I have not time to give. A translation by Mme. Ritter printed in the programme gave a key to the music [nine-line quote].

Beethoven’s Symphony in C occupied the second part of the programme. The orchestra, throughout the concert, played badly; worse than ever before, it seemed to me.”